Threshing-machine.



W. W BROWER. THRESHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 13110.26, 1901.RENEWED JUNE 7, 1905.

1,054,170. Patented Feb. 25, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUIIDXA PLANOGRAPM co. 15mm, run. 11x.

W. W. BROWER.

THRESHING MACHINE. y.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 26, 1901. RENEWED JUNE 7, 1905.

1,054',1 7 0. Patented Feb. 25, 1913.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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one El) STATES PATENT @FFiUzl.

VJILLIAM VI. BRO'WER, 6F IVIESEBVEY, IOWA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE SATTLEY STACKEB COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDI- ANA,A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

THRESHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 26, 1901, Serial No. 87,268. Renewed June 7,1905. Serial No. 264,168.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, lVILLIAM \V. Baownn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Meservey, in the county of Cerro Gordo and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Threshing-Machines,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to improved separating devices,designed to be mounted in the rear of the thresher cylinder and adaptedto effect the separation of the threshed grain from the straw.

The prime object of my invention is to provide a practical and effectiveapparatus adapted to separate the stream or mass of straw ('lischargedby the t-hresher cylinder into many small portions, thus facilitatingand insuring the separation of the grain berries.

Other objects more or less anciliary to this one prime object, also themeans which I employ for attaining all of the various objects, willappear in the following description in connection with. the accompanyingdrawings which illustrate preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 shows in side elevation a part of a threshing machine with oneof the wooden sides of the machine removed and the dust guard removed toshow the operative mechanism on the interior thereof, the position ofthe straw tables being illustrated by dotted lines at one limit of itsmovement and by solid lines at the other limit. Fig. 2 is a top or planview of the same portion of a threshing machine with the top removed.Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail, sectional view of one of the disks forsupporting the shafts having teeth and illustrating the means forexcluding dust from the gearing device. Fig. 1 is an enlarged, detailside view of the dust excluding guard detached. Fig. 5 shows inperspective a portion of the frame of the straw table with two of theupright toothed ribs in position thereon and two of the spring metalseparating rods adjacent theret G is a vertical, sectional viewillustrating the fender or guards and the shaft having teeth adjacentthereto to illustrate their respective positions, and Fig. 7 is aperspective view of a portion of one of the disks and the means forclamping said disk to its shaft.

Referring to the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral10 to indicate the sides of the threshing machine frame and 11 indicatesthe stationary, longitudinal braces thereof. Mounted between the sidesof the machine frame is a straw table 12 of ordinary construction havingthe trinagular cross pieces 13 fixed thereto with spaces between them topermit the passage of grain. This table is supported at its ends uponlevers or rocker arms 14 which are pivoted at 15 to suitable stationarysupports, as the braces 11, and at 16 are pivoted to the straw table.

I have provided a device to be applied to the central portion of thestraw table for the purpose of aiding in the separation of the grain asfollows: The reference numerals 18 and 19 indicate two cross piecesfixed to the sides of the straw table in lieu of the two trian ularcross pieces 13, and fixed to these cross pieces 18 and 19, at regularintervals throughout their length, are the toothed ribs 20. These ribsare materially higher at their rear ends than at their front ends forpurposes hereinafter made clear. Between each pair of ribs is a springrod 21 fixed to the cross pieces 18 and 19 and curved upwardly andrearwardly and provided with serrations 22 at their upper end portions.

Mounted in the sides of the machine frame abovethe ribs is a shaft 23,and fixed to the end portions of this shaft between the sides of themachine frame are the disks 2% and These disks are of similarconstruction except that the disk 25 has an inwardly projecting flange26. Each disk is provided with a device whereby it may be clamped to theshaft 23, which device is clearly illustrated in Fig. 7 This devicecomprises a cylindrical extension 27 formed integral with the disk andprojecting inwardly. At the sides of the cylinder 27 are the laterallyprojecting plates 28. Near the outer end portion of the cylinder 27 theupper half of the cylinder 27 and the plate 28 is removed, and in placethereof is a semicylindrical part 29 having laterally projecting plates30 at its ends, said parts being so shaped that when in position theywill form a continuation of the cylinder 2? and, the plates 28.

The numeral 31 indicates a set screw passed through the cylinder 27, and32 in dicates bolts for connecting the plates 30 with the plates 28. Inmanufacture, the disks are firmly fixed and then the interior of thecylinder 27 is bored out at exactly right angles to the disk. Then thepart 29 and 30 is formed, and the disk is placed on the shaft with theshaft projecting through the cylinder 27. Obviously when the set screw31 is screwed tight against the shaft the disk will necessarily assume aposition exactly at right angles to the shaft, then the part 29 and 30may be placed in position and the bolts 32 provided to firmly clamp theshaft therein to prevent its rotation relative to the disk. Thisconstruction is designed as a substitute for the ordinary method ofkeying said disks to the shaft and has a considerable advantage over thecommon method, in that greater accuracy is possible in connecting thedisk at right angles to the shaft and the parts may be more readilydetached.

T have mounted upon the shaft 23 near the outer face of the disk 25 aloose sleeve 33, one end of which is fixed to the machine frame and theother to a pinion 33, and rotatably mounted on the outer surface of thedisk are three pinions 3% in mesh with the pinion 33. I have passedthrough the disks 2t and 25 a series of shafts 35, and fixed to theseshafts at points adjacent to the outer face of the disk 25 are thepinions 86 in mesh with the pinions 34. At their other ends the saidshafts are rotatably mounted in the disk 24., and intermediate theirends these shafts carry teeth or fingers 37. lVith this construction itis clear that a rotation of the shaft 23 will cause the disk to rotateand the shaft 35 will be carried by the disks around a common center,the teeth 37 meanwhile being maintained in downwardly extendingpositions at a substantially constant angle to the horizontal.

I have provided means whereby the heavy dust which always appears in theinterior of the threshing machine may be prevented, to a certain extent,from entering the space where the pinions are contained and for removingany particles of dust which may enter this space, so as to prevent thedustfrom lodging in the teeth of the pinions, as follows: The referencenumeral 88 indicates a rim provided with the openings 39 by which it maybe secured to the side of the machine frame. This rim is provided with apart 40 to project inwardly around the flange 26 of the disk 25, saidpart being curved to overlap both sides of said flange and to extend asclose to the flange as is possible without interfering with the movementof the flange in the rim. Near the bottom of the said rim 38 is anopening ll for purposes hereinafter made clear, and attached to theouter face of the disk 25 is a series of fans or blades 42 extendingfrom a point near the periphery of the disk 25 to a point near thecentral pinion 33, said fans or blades being arranged between the pinions and being large enough to projectoutwardly to a point near the sideof the frame. The function of these fans or blades is to strike anyparticles of dust that may enter the space in which the pinions areinclosed, and when these particles have accumulated on the fiat surfaceof the fans to any considerable extent they are forced downwardly with acurrent of air through the opening tl and are thereby discharged andprevented from entering between the teeth of the pinions.

@bviously the rim 38 and the part l0 thereof which overlaps the flange26 of the disk 25 will prevent any considerable amount of dust fromentering the space in which the pinions are contained. However, it ispractically impossible to exclude all particles of dust, and I havefound that in a device of this class dust will accumulate on the centralpinion to such an extent as to quickly render it inoperative unless somemeans are provided for preventing the dust from settling upon saidpinions. l have found that by providing the fans or blades 42 and theopening tl that all of the particles of dust will be carried by saidfans or blades downwardly through the openings 41 and the operation ofthe pinions will not be affected thereby.

l'n connection with the rotary toothed shafts I provide a strawdeflecting device or guard having a peculiar cooperative relation withthe toothed shafts and the adjacent straw table parts. This devicecomprises a cross piece 4-3 fixed to the sides of the machine frame, andcurved rods 4 f which are secured to this cross piece. These rods extenddownwardly and rearwarclly and then upwardly around the lower part ofthe rotary separator mechanism and are so spaced in relation to theteeth 37 on the shafts 35 that the teeth in their downward movement passfreely between them, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6. Itwill be seen thatthe rods stetserve as guards or fenders which prevent straw from risingand becoming entangled with the rotary shafts. But these rods 44 actalso as a barrier which positively deflects or presses the strawdownward upon the straw table at points adjacent the rotary separatordevice. This latter function of the rods 4% will be explained more fullyin connection with the operation of the machine.

The straw table 12 is given an oscillatory movement on its leversupports (see full and dotted line showing of the table in Fig. 1.) byany suitable driving connections at such velocity as has been found inthreshing machine practice to be suitable. As is well understood, theconstruction of the table and its movement are such that the rearwardtravel of the table is more effective on the straw than its forwardtravel so that the straw is gradually fed rearward through the machine.

For the rotation of the rotary separator mechanism any suitable drivingconnections may be provided which are adapted to drive the mechanism atthe desired speed. This speed, while not definitely fixed, should berelatively much greater than that of the straw table. It has been foundthat good results are secured when the linear travel per minute of theseparator fingers is ten or twelve times the rearward travel per minuteof the straw table.

In the operation of a threshing machine made in accordance with myinvention, the straw, coming from the thresher cylinder, is deliveredupon the oscillating table 12 where it settles or is shaken down into atangled mat. This matted straw carries many grain berries which fail toseparate at the thresher cylinder, and because of the matted andcompactcondition of the straw as it advances over the table, it isdifficult to effect their separation. In fact, a large part of thesegrain berries pass from the machine with the straw and are lost, in thecase of ordinary threshing machines having no special separatingmechanism. But in my improved machine the straw, as it advances in amatted stream, encounters the barrier bars at and tends to crowddownward and rearward into the throat or constrict-ed passage formed bysaid bars and the straw table. And as the straw enters this throat, aset of fingers 37 is driven clownward into and through the stream. Thefingers penetrate to the very bottom of the mat of straw because thelatter is held up of? the bottom of the table by the toothed ribs 20.Then the series of teeth with its clean bite into the straw movesrapidly rearward at a relatively high speed, and as the main mass isheld back by the combined action of the barrier bars 4% and the notchedribs :20, the fingers 3'? effect a clean separation of a relativelysmall wisp of the straw and whisk it upward and rearward over the tablebars 21, from which it falls to the table proper. The small wisp ofstraw thus sepa* rated from the main mass is so completely opened upthat any contained grain berries are free, during the movement from therestricted throat to and over the near ends of the bars 21, to fall toand through the shaking straw table so that they can be recovered. Thisoperation, which has been followed in detail, is repeated withtremendous rapidity byeach succeeding set of fingers so that the entiremass of straw passing through the machine is so thoroughly opened upthat all the grain berries carried in it are quite free to fall awayfrom the straw so that they can be recovered.

It will be observed that between the series of curved bars t-l above andnear the cylinder, and the devices 20 and 21 below and near the strawsupport, there is formed a relatively narrow passage for the straw whichextends rearward and finally upward in a curved direction, and that thecylinder teeth pass at certain places completely across said passagewayand t0 the bottom thereof so as to engage the extreme bottom layer ofstraws, and move rearwardly through the passageway at a practicallyconstant incli nation to the horizontal and in position approximatingalways to the vertical. Because the teeth 37 are thus maintained in adownward ext-ending position, the straw carried by them would bedischarged rearwardly and horizontally except for the fact that itencounters the upwardly inclined bars 21 by which it is deflected upwardaway from the direction the grain berries tend to pursue under theaction of gravity, thus facilitating the separation of said berries. Asthe teeth finally rise past the bars or guards 44 their maintenance in aconstantly downward pointing position causes them to be drawn across theguards in the direction of the length of the teeth, stripping the strawwith ease and certainty. The ribs 20 increase in height toward the rearwith the effect of lifting the straw web so that first the top part orlayer of the front edge of the web, then the intermediate layer, andfinally the extreme layer is raised above the top plane of the strawsupport or table and brought within the range of the described action ofthe cylinder teeth or forks.

I am aware that it has been proposed, as in Patent No. 179,054, to L. G.Boyer, dated June 20, 1876, to operate on threshed material passing overa toothed straw table or shaker, by a rotary rake having radial teeth.held in fixed relation to the axis of rotation, which, in operation,were to pass below the top plane of the shaker, and I do not wish to beunderstood as claiming as my invention any of the features of structureor mode of operation incident to such a mechanism. On the contrary, Iemploy separating teeth which are not so immovably held, but which areso moved relative to their rotating carrying shaft or cylinder as to bemaintained at a constant angle to the horizontal. The operation of teethso maintained at a constant angle to the horizontal is to force thethreshed material rearward in a direction substantially parallel withthe straw support without that lifting action which'is incident to teeththat turn upward at a constantly lessening angle to the horizontal untilthey become horizontal and then begin to point more and more upward.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. In a grainadvancing and separating device for threshing machines, the combinationof a rotatable shaft mounted in the sides of the machine frame, disksfixed to the end portions of said shaft, a series of toothed shaftsmounted in the disks and extended parallel with the rotatable shaft androtating with the disks around the retatable shaft, means for operatingthe toothed shafts to hold the teeth in a downwardly extending positionthrough their entire revolution, a straw table, a series of notched ribsfixed to the straw table and inclined upwardly and rearwardly directlybeneath the disks, so as to co-act with the toothed shafts in elevatingand loosening the layer of straw, and a series of spring bars extendingrearwardly and upwardly from a point in the rear of the notched bars andfixed to the straw table, said spring bars co-acting with the toothedshafts and the notched bars in separating the grain from the layer ofstraw, for the purposes stated.

In a grain advancing and separating device for threshing machines, thecombination of a rotatable shaft mounted in the sides of the machineframe, disks fixed to the end portions of said shaft, :1 series oftoothed shafts mounted in the disks and extended parallel with therotatable shaft and rotating with the disks around the rotatable shaft,a series of pinions fixed to said shafts, a stationary central pinionmeshed with the pinions on the shaft, said teeth on the shafts standingat a downwardly and rearwardly inclined angle throughout their entirerevolution, a straw table, a series of notched ribs fixed to the strawtable and inclined upwardly and rearwardly directly beneath the disks,so as to co-act with the toothed shafts in elevating and loosening thelayer of straw, and a series of spring bars ex tending rearwardly andupwardly from a point in the rear of the notched bars and fixed to thestraw table, said spring bars co-acting with the toothed shafts and thenotch d bars in separating the grain from the layer of straw, for thepurposes stated.

3. In a grain advancing and separating device for threshing machines,the combination of a rotatable shaft mounted in the sides of the machineframe, disks fixed to the end portions of the said shaft, a series oftoothed shafts mounted in the disks and extended parallel with therotatable shaft and arranged to rotate with the disks around therotatable shaft, a series of pinions arran ed to o aerate said toothedshafts 23 J a dust guard having an opening therein and inclosing saidpinions, and air propelling means arranged to blow the dust within theguard out through the openin for the purposes stated.

4c. in a device of the class described, the combination of a rotatabledisk, an integral hub on the disk, said hub having its portion adjacentto the disk forming a co1nplete cylinder to receive a shaft and itsouter portion forming a half cylinder and provided with radial plates, aset screw in the cylindrical portion for centering the shaft mounted inthe cylindrical portion, and. a detachable semi-cylindrical portionprovided with radial plates bolted to the outer end portion of the hub,for the purposes stated.

In a threshing and separating machine, the combination with the tablewhich receives the straw and advances it at a relatively slow speed, ofa rotary separator having a series of sets of lingers held continuouslyat substantially the same angles to the horiyontal and adapted to travelendwise and downward across the path of the straw and then in the pathof the same a relatively high speed, the rotary separator being arrangedto form a narrow threat for the passage of the straw between the septarater and the top of the table, and the table being provided withnotched ribs in said throat and between the paths of the fingers of theseparator, and the guards or fenders adapted to prevent the straw fromrising as it advances under the separator and having passages for thedew ward movement of the said fingers and extending upward at the pointswhere the said fingers have a rising n'iovcment, substantially as setforth.

(3. in a threshing and separating machine, the C( nbination with thetable which re ceivcs the straw coming from the threshing cylinder andadvances said straw in a matted stream at a relatively slow speed, of arotary mechanism arranged above said table and having a set of fingersextending substantially across said table and held con tinuously indownwardly extending positions and adapted to travel endwise anddownward across the path of the stream and then in said path at arelatively high speed, and straw-dfleeting means disposed adjacent thefront side of the rotary mechanism and extending downward and rearwardtoward the table to form in conjunction with said table a crmstrictcd,restraining passage into which the straw advances and from which itdrawn bit by bit by the rapidly p g rs of the rotary mechanism.

7. la a threshing and separating machine, the combination with the tablewhich receives the staw coming from the threshing cylinder and advancessaid straw in a matted stream at a relatively slow speed,

of a rotary mechanism arranged above said table and having a set offingers extending substantially across said table and held continuouslyin downwardly ext-ending posi tions and adapted to travel endwise anddownward across the path of the stream and then in said path at arelatively high speed, guards extending around the rotary mechanism andhaving between them passages for the downward movement of the saidfingers, and longitudinally disposed upstanding serrated members mountedon the table beneath the rotary mechanism, the said rotary mechanism andguards being disposed so as to form in conjunction with the table andupstanding serrated members a constricted, restraining passage intowhich the straw advances and from which it is drawn bit by bit by therapidly moving fingers of the rotary mechanism.

8. In a threshing and separating machine, the combination with the tablewhich receives the straw coming from the threshing cylinder and advancessaid straw in a matted stream at a relatively slow speed, of a rotarymechanism arranged above said table and having a set of fingersextending substantially across said table and held continuously indownwardly extending positions and adapted to travel endwise anddownward across the path of the stream and then in said path at arelatively high speed, straw-defie :ting means disposed adjacent thefront side of the rotary mechanism and extending downward and rearwardtoward the straw table, and upstanding members mounted on the tablebeneath the rotary mechanism and adjacent the lower part of the saidstraw-deflecting means, the rotary mechan sm and straw-deflecting meansbe ing disposed so as to form in conjunction with the table and theupstanding members a constricted, restraining passage into which thestraw advances and from which it is drawn bit by bit by the rapidlymoving fingers of the rotary mechanism.

9. In a separating mechanism for threshing machines, the combinationwith a straw separating and advancing cylinder and straw table, of theseries of notched ribs inclined relative to the horizontal, and theseries of spring bars inclined relative to the horizontal the said ribsand bars being situated within the range of action of said cylinder,acting upwardly on the straw at points above the paths of the points ofthe cylinder teeth and cooperating with said cylinder to separate thegrain from the straw.

10. In a separating mechanism for a threshing machine, the combinationof the rotating separating cylinder carrying downwardly extending teeth,means for maintaining said teeth during the rotation of the cylinder ata constant angle to the horizontal, straw supporting means havingdownward passages for the grain and arranged beneath said cylinder,upwardly and rearwardly extending spring bars arranged for cooperationwith the cylinder teeth, ribs on the straw table in front of the springbars and within the paths of the cylinder teeth, and means for causingthe upward and downward movement of said spring bars during the rotationof said cylinder.

11. In a threshing machine, the combination of a rotary cylinder at therear of the threshing mechanism, a straw supporting means below thecylinder and having clownward passages for the grain, an upper series ofbars or guards near the cylinder, a lower series of straw guidingdevices near the said straw supporting means, said upper and lowerseries forming a passageway for the straw, and said upper series of barsand lower series of guiding devices being curved and approximatelyparallel to form an upwardly curved passageway, and teeth or forkscarried by the cylinder and moving, by the rotation of the cylinder,rearwardly through said passageway.

Des Moines, Iowa, October 26, 1901.

lVILLIAM W. BROVVER. Witnesses B. BARNEY, E. VJ. RUSSELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

